The rumored two-day NJ Metallica festival is true, and it's happening on June 23 & 24, 2012 in Atlantic City, NJ. 22+ artists (music and comedy) will play with Metallica headlining both nights with special setlists. Metallica will play the Black Album in its entirety on one of the nights "for the first time ever on US soil", and... Ride The Lighting on the other night! The venue is Bader Field (an abandoned airport).

Other bands are:

Arctic Monkeys • Avenged Sevenfold
Modest Mouse • The Gaslight Anthem
Cage The Elephant • Fucked Up • Best Coast
Hot Snakes • Titus Andronicus
Gary Clark Jr. • Lucero • Roky Erickson
The Black Angels • The Sword
A Place to Bury Strangers • Liturgy
+ more TBA

"More than just music, the festival will also feature a lifestyle element showcasing the band's individual interests - and allowing fans to interact directly with each of the band members. More details soon!"

The festival is in partnership with C3 who also does Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits.

"Word is out that your local indie record store may just be the place to be this Post-Thanksgiving-Shopping-Melee-Day, also known as Black Friday. And that's because indie stores across the country will be the place to get special releases created just for you, for giving and getting this holiday season, and they're scheduled for release on Black Friday.

Now, this is not Record Store Day, Jr. or RSD 11 or Son of the Return of Record Store Day. This is just a group of special releases that you can only find at record stores. Some of them are uber-limited, some of them are available at record stores before they're available anywhere else. But they're all special, and they kind of fly in the face of what Black Friday has become, which is "I have to shop, let's see how fast and cheap I can get it over with". The magic of these pieces is that every one of them is something someone will really LOVE to get, and you'll really ENJOY giving. And you'll have the extra nice feeling of supporting a local independently owned business during the holidays. So check out the list of titles, and keep in mind that not all stores on this page will carry everything, so start a conversation with your local store. Or print this out as a Wish List and hide it where your gift-giving loved ones are sure to find it. [Record Store Day]

As previously mentioned, Killing Joke are playing Irving Plaza on December 3rd. Updated tour dates and a video of a dude showing off some of the records you can get Friday, below...

Continue reading "a list of Black Friday Record Store Day exclusives ++ new Killing Joke LP out now (tour starts soon) "

DOWNLOAD: Bird of Youth - "Stop Staring" (MP3)

Roky w/ Okkervil River @ Webster Hall in May (more by Kurt Christensen)

Austin songwriter Roky Erickson will be touring again in November. That includes at least two NYC-area shows. Those happen November 10th at the Bell House (tickets on sale Friday at noon) and November 12th at Maxwell's (tickets also on sale Friday at noon). More dates, including Boston, TBA.

Roky's most recent set of shows and album included Okkervil River as his backing band. That won't be the case this time, but you can catch Okkervil frontman Will Sheff when he plays a solo show at the Living Room on Tuesday, August 10th. That show is part of Bird of Youth's Tuesday in August residency at the Living Room. Bird of Youth (the band led by BK musician Beth Wawerna)'s other guests include Charles Bissell of the Wrens and Timothy Bracy's Collection Agency (ex-Mendoza Line). They all, or most of them, also contribute to Bird of Youth's upcoming debut album (MP3 from that above). No advanced tickets. A flyer for the residency is below...

Continue reading "Roky Erickson schedules more shows, Will Sheff & others playing w/ Bird of Youth @ Living Room (Charles Bissell too)"

by Kurt Christensen

"From the very first chords -- wisely not something from the new album, but a scorching version of Roky's classic "Night of the Vampire" -- it was evident that it was going to be a show to remember. And it just got better from there. Okkervil's frontman, Will Sheff, who with his beard and spectacles looked every bit like a long-lost son of John Lennon, spent the 90-minute set grinning from ear to ear as he played out his guitar fantasies onstage with Roky.

This was clearly a labor of love for Sheff and his band. Okkervil River was definitely not a backup band, but a true collaborator with Roky." [WYMMWIG]

Continue reading "Roky Erickson & Okkervil River @ Webster Hall - pics & setlist"

Okkervil River are Roky Erickson's band at Webster Hall tonight (5/25).

Will Scheff, Roky Erickson, Nardwuar (more by Tim Griffin)

The first Nardwuar interview that I witnessed in person (and helped set up)! Taped after the legendary Roky Erickson and Okkervil River finished playing at our BV/M For Montreal day party, the 10 minute, well-researched interview covers many topics including Austin, Tang and Will's love for cream. Watch that (and a new chat with Snoop Dogg where the rapper microwaves a joint), below...

Continue reading "the Nardwuar Roky Erickson/Will Sheff video interview (and a new Snoop Dogg one too) "

words by Bill Pearis & (most of the) photos by Tim Griffin

Will Sheff & Roky Erickson

"Welcome to Montreal -- how do you like the Weather?" - Martin Cesar, Think About Life.

After three lovely days of sunny, mild weather, the skies went grey and cold for the last day of SXSW, Saturday, March 20th, with temperatures dropping to around 45 degrees. Almost no one seemed prepared for it, judging by the throngs of under-dressed shivering all over town. With a lot of the Austin venues being outdoor, it especially hurt.  Our final party of a very busy week of parties was a free badge-less official SXSW event that we did with the M for Montreal folks, at the two-stage Galaxy Room (formerly Radio Room & Bourbon Rocks). The main stage was outside -- under a tent, which helped just a little -- and while temperatures were low, spirits were high and it was maybe the most fun I had all week.

My favorite set of the day came early. Think About Life are so much fun live, so much genuine positivity, it's hard to be in a bad mood with them on stage. An instant hangover cure. I think this was the first time a lot of the audience had ever seen them play, if the number of people who asked me who they were was any indication. At one point singer Martin Cesar left the stage as if their set was over, only to appear in the middle of the crowd dancing, hyping people up. That they didn't do "Johanna" is my only complaint. NYers can see them on April 27 when Think About Life play Mercury Lounge. It's part of a fairly extensive U.S. tour, do go see them.

I was also super-pumped to see The Besnard Lakes whose new album The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night is pretty fantastic. Specifically, I wanted to hear its epic opener, "Like the Ocean, Like the Innocent," and have it knock me back. Like a lot of Montreal bands, The Besnard Lakes' line-up ebbs and flows. Theirs does so around the core of Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas. I've seen them seven strong before, but here they were a lean mean quartet and did not disappoint. They're on tour in May, including a 5/28 show at Bowery Ballroom.

Duchess Says

Another set I knew would be fun was Montreal's Duchess Says who played one of our CMJ day parties last year. While their more aggressive take on Devo-style protopunk is fun, it's all about singer Annie Claude who looks very cute and innocent... until the music starts. She shrieks, jumps in the audience, tackles people, pulls them to the floor,  and causes general mayhem. It's more mischief than menace though. There are lots of other singers who do similar things, but never anything quite like her. After you've seen them once, part of the fun is watching other people experience them for the first time. The inside room was packed to the gills (it was warmer there). My favorite part of the show had her sitting down in the middle of the audience, methodically pulling people down with her, draping their arms over her into a giant pile of people. There's video at the bottom of this post.

The other major highlight for me was Roky Erickson with Okkervill River. I'd never seen him before and this was certainly a great live introduction to someone whose music I've loved for a long time. Will Sheff produced Roky's new album (first in 14 years) and Okkervill was his backing band on it, so the set was tight, rocking and just sounded fantastic. Roky was in great form too, and we got a few 13th Floor Elevators nuggets in there, as well as "Starry Eyes," one of my favorites of his solo material. They tour in May including a show at Webster Hall.

And there was lots more: the great Wye Oak kicked off the party with a lovely set despite cold fingers; Jason Collett was a class act with superbly-crafted country-pop (see video of his set below); Crystal Antlers filled in for BEAST who couldn't make it; Andrew WK was in full Meatloaf mode with a set of piano ballads; Plants and Animals were lush and harmony-laden; metal legends Voivod showed they've still got it; and a percussion-heavy set from L.A.'s Local Natives was probably the biggest draw of the day -- they were excellent.

Local Natives

Somehow I entirely missed sets by Holy Fuck (who I heard were great) and Suckers (who I've seen before many times here in NYC). A last minute addition, Nardwuar was there too, providing funny, heavily-researched band introductions as only he can. It was a great, if cold, day. Stay tuned for his video interview of Will and Roky.

Thanks to everyone who helped put this all together, and to our sponsors. More pictures and videos from the whole day below...

Continue reading "Roky Erickson/Okkervil River, Local Natives, Think About Life, Duchess Says, others @ Galaxy Room (BV/MfM day party) - pics"

Nicole Atkins @ Bowery Ballroom - Feb 3rd (more by Bao Nguyen)

Nicole Atkins's SXSW Picks

1) High On Fire: I like my metal slooooow!

2) Roky Erickson with Okkervil River: I missed them last time I was at sxsw. I love both of these guys music so seeing them together I'm sure is going to be unreal!

3) Band of Horses: Yep, I missed the boat on these guys and have only recently discovered them. I have been listening to their last record on repeat for two weeks now.

And as previously mentioned, you can see Nicole Atkins perform tonight, Friday, March 12th at City Winery in NYC with Joseph Arthur, as part of his weekly Friday residency at the venue. Limited tickets are still on sale.

Then, on March 26th she'll be playing the first show at OHM, a new private show space in the lobby of a NYC high-rise in Chelsea...

OHM is a 37-story rental tower located at 312 11th Avenue in the West Chelsea district. There is over 25,000 square feet of amenity space in the tower, including the lobby which holds an intimate performance space. Knitting Factory Entertainment will be exclusively bringing live entertainment to this space.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Nicole Atkins playing City Winery (tonight), SXSW (including a BV day party) & OHM (a Knitting Factory-booked apt building)"

I've been announcing individual bands on this party before now. Finally we have the full exciting lineup!

You know M For Montreal as the Canadian festival we've visited for two years in a row. Their yearly festival showcases bands from their home city in their home city, and they take that show on the road each year to both CMJ in NYC and SXSW in Austin (we already announced their official 2010 night showcase).

Being that we are such huge fans of so many Montreal bands, I thought it would be a great idea see if they wanted do a party together... and here we are. The lineup mixes some of our favorite Montreal bands with some or our other favorite Canadian (like Jason Collett of Broken Social Scene) and non-Canadian bands (like Andrew WK).

We have 13 bands total, a DJ set by another band, free ice cream from the Ice Cream Man (some of which is vegan), free vegan food courtesy of Austin's own Daily Juice and other surprises (drink specials on this particular party are pending). We're also proud to announce that KEXP is the official radio sponsor of all BV day parties this year. You'll find them, video cameras in hand, at many of our day parties throughout the week including this one. Those in attendance at this show will also have a chance to check out and win a pair of Nudie Jeans (another one of our kind sponsors).

Also unlike any other BV day party, this one is officially part of SXSW. That does NOT mean you need a badge. NO BADGES REQUIRED for this free show, but you will find the party listed on SXSW.com (and you can add it to your schedule on there). Full lineup with set times below...

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan & M for Montreal free SXSW day party lineup (Roky Erickson, Andrew WK, Voivod, Holy Fuck, Local Natives, other bands, free food & more)"

DOWNLOAD: Roky Erickson & Okkervil River - Goodbye Sweet Dreams (MP3)

Roky Erickson's Will Sheff-produced, Okkervil River-backed first new album in 14 years, True Love Cast Out All Evil, is coming out April 20th on Anti. The disc is "comprised largely of unreleased songs that Austin, Texas native Erickson wrote throughout his decades-long career." The first track released from the album and cover art are posted above.

Roky Erickson has shows coming up in various places around the country. One of those is a Tuesday, May 25th at Webster Hall with Okkervil River (Will Sheff included) as his band. Tickets go on AmEx presale Wednesday, February 24th at noon. General sale starts Friday (2/26) at noon.

Roky & Okkervil will also be playing their hometown of Austin during SXSW. Their official showcase takes place Thursday, March 18 at 12:30 AM La Zona Rosa. You can also catch them at the previously unannounced BrooklynVegan/M for Montreal SXSW day party at Galaxy Room (formerly Radio Room, formerly Bourbon Rocks) on Saturday, March 20th (noon-5:30pm) with Andrew WK (whose Q&A at Santos tonight is streaming) and others TBA. Unlike any other day BV day party so far in history, this one is "official" aka actually part of the SXSW schedule (though please note: SXSW CURRENTLY HAS IT LISTED AS FRIDAY, BUT IT IS SATURDAY). Still no badges necessary and 100% free, but part of SXSW (aka on their schedule).

Stay tuned for more exciting BV show lineup announcements. All Roky Erickson tour dates and a video of Roky and Will Sheff at Toy Joy in Austin, TX, are below...

Continue reading "Roky Erickson playing live shows backed by Okkervil River in NYC, at SXSW (at a BV day party) ++ MP3, album art, dates"

Roky Erickson @ Maxwell's on January 2nd (schwartzray)

"Roky tore it up again [at Maxwell's on January 2nd], but I noticed he was really, really nervous for this show. He wasn't committing to the final notes or chords on each song and would turn and face the drummer to hide his fear and insecurity during the end of each song. in his defense, the crowd was loud and demanding, the space was small, it was late and freezing outside, and they played a huge set. His vocals were dead on for most songs and his guitar playing overall was pretty good. They played some really amazing cover songs really well, and I was overall very pleased with the night. When they closed with "Don't Slander Me" and left the stage, I swear I saw tears in Roky's eyes. I really hope they were out of happiness because the man has really left a great mark on my soul, and I know I speak on many other's behalf."
[I Must Find Atlantis]

Okkervil River just teamed up with the Levon Helm Band to play Terminal 5 on January 7th (we almost had pics, but then Levon said no cameras were allowed). A few video clips of Okkervil's set closer, "Unless It's Kicks", are below.

Will Sheff & co. will again pair with a legendary rocker. They produce and play on Roky Erickson's new record set to be released by Anti-...

Legendary musician Roky Erickson triumphantly returns on April 20th with the Anti Record's release True Love Cast Out All Evil his first new album in fourteen years. Produced by Will Sheff and featuring his band Okkervil River backing Erickson, the record is comprised largely of unreleased songs that Austin, Texas native Erickson wrote throughout his decades-long career - detailing with heart-breaking candor a harrowing life that has included shock treatment, imprisonment, mental illness, and irreversible loss. With a wisdom that can only be marshaled by someone who has been through all of the this, Erickson also interjects the songs with love, hope, and spiritual grace.

More Roky album info and videos are below...

Continue reading "Roky Erickson played 3 NYC-area shows, releasing new Anti- album w/ Okkervil River (who just opened for Levon Helm)"

Roky Erikson @ Scion Garage Fest in Portland (vej)

"The Scion Garage Fest was pretty amazing, and I managed to catch the complete sets from ten bands. Simply Saucer was a huge disappointment, as their set was comprised of mostly watered down blues that sounded nothing like their sole album- Cyborgs Revisited. There were a couple of bands that I missed because the schedules didn't allow me to see everything I wanted to see. I opted to go to Black Lips instead of Gris Gris because I couldn't sit through any more of Simply Saucer's set, and I needed some sustenance from Dante's inferno. After spending half of Black Lips set outside due to Berbati's annoying 1 in= 1 out policy, I decided to stay there and check out Roky Erickson's set. Unfortunately, catching the King Khan & BBQ set at Dante's was not in the cards for me...

...I'm not a huge fan of Roky's solo stuff as it always reminds me of the music from bad 80's movies, but closing with with the 13th Floor Elevator's classic "You're Gonna Miss Me" was an ace move." [Eclectic Grooves]

Spend New Years Eve with Roky Erickson in Hoboken! OK, I admit that seems like an odd concept. Neverthelees, that's where he'll be playing on December 31st. According to the venue (Maxwell's), "He has a splendid new band and alongside his current live faves, has added such Top Ten hits as "Don't Slander Me" and "Reverberation" to the set." Tickets go on-sale Friday at noon via Ticketweb and will also be available at Tunes in Hoboken and Other Music in Manhattan.

Much sooner Roky is headlining the massive and free (thx Scion) Garage Fest going down in Portland Oregon. More details on that, below...

Continue reading "Roky Erickson playing Garage Fest, New Year's @ Maxwell's"

DOWNLOAD: Red Cortez - World At Rest (MP3)

The Tallest Man On Earth is playing a show at Union Hall on April 14th (tickets are on sale). That's one day before the previously announced show at Bowery Ballroom (tix still on sale).

Both NYC shows are with California's Libertines-U2-like band, Red Cortez (formerly The Weather Underground), who, as recently pointed out, are now on tour with Morrissey (sort of).

The music that [Red Cortez] makes is an odd mash of a multitude of things - including beat poetry, ragtag clothing, the fertile hope of equality, The Black Crowes, The Walkmen, peace marches and that audacity of human content that the new president-elect has been talking about and which has been a calling card since the 60s. [Daytrotter]

The Tallest Man on Earth will be at SXSW too, and one of the seven shows he's playing is Roky Erickson's seventh annual Psychedelic Ice Cream Social with Okkervil River who will be playing with Roky. The flyer, full lineup, some videos, and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "Tallest Man on Earth touring w/ Red Cortez, playing Union Hall, Roky Erickson's Ice Cream Social, other places"

photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

"Rocky Erickson, founder of The 13th Floor Elevators, recently grew a beard (he's grown one before, but this is a new development). I saw him a few years ago sans barb, and at ACL he was donning this thicket. It's obvious -- he looks rather healthy and quite a bit more svelt than ever." [BeardReview.com]

Continue reading "Roky Erickson's beard @ ACL 2008, Austin, TX - pics"

Roky Erickson returns to NYC to play Webster Hall on March 1st. Thurston Moore & The New Wave Bandits (Thurston + full rock band) are opening. Roky is also playing Maxwell's on March 2nd. Tickets are on sale Wed @ noon.

I knew Roky Erickson was playing a free show this summer, and I had heard Alejandro Escovedo was too, but it wasn't until I saw it in writing yesterday that I realized the two legendary Austinites are playing the same free show! June 2nd @ Castle Clinton. Many, many, many more free NYC events now UP AT THE RIVER TO RIVER FESTIVAL SITE.

On a related note, fellow wacky Austinite Daniel Johnston plays Warsaw in Brooklyn TONIGHT (May 15) (not sold out), and the Highline Ballroom for the High Line festival tomorrow (is sold out).

DOWNLOAD: 13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me (MP3)

Roky Erickson (almost 60 years old) never played NYC before this past weekend. Now, literally a free man, he's played here twice - Friday night at Southpaw (April 13) and Sunday at Bowery Ballroom (April 15). I would have made it to one of those shows, but I already got my Roky fix at this year's 'Ice Cream Social' (not to be confused with New Young Pony Club's Ice Cream, Muscles' Ice Cream), or the Ice Cream Man)...

Though not an "official" SXSW event, Roky Erickson's annual Ice Cream Social at Threadgill's is an Austin tradition that attracts not only SXSW badge and wristband holders, but SXSW performers such as Robyn Hitchcock, Spoon, and REM's Peter Buck. Essentially a day party that runs a little long, many special guests and performers have come to help fete Roky Erickson over the years. This year they came to help celebrate Roky being emancipated, becoming, for the first time in many years, legally his own man, not having to have a legal guardian represent his interests. [club kingsnake]

Roky...

DVD (documentary) info, pics, and more, below...

Continue reading "ROKY ERICKSON @ Threadgill's (Ice Cream Social) Austin, TX (SXSW) pics (+"You're Gonna Miss Me" movie & 3 NYC shows)"

DOWNLOAD: Spoon - Mountain To Sound (MP3)

Spoon went from having no upcoming NYC shows to having two awesome upcoming NYC shows:

Spoon in NYC, 2007
Apr 23 - Bowery Ballroom (TICKETS)
Jul 11 - Battery Park (FREE)

They are definitely on my good side right now. Last time I saw Spoon was not only a complete surprise, it was as opener (and honored to be doing it according to Britt Daniel) for Roky Erickson at the 'Ice Cream Social' at Threadgill's during SXSW in Austin this year (March 15, 2007):

Small shows, free shows, suprise shows, Roky Erikson....can Spoon get any cooler right now? Yes - their upcoming album ("Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" out July 10 on Merge) has one track produced by none other than Jon Brion.

More pics (including the coolest one of all) & tour dates below....

Continue reading "SPOON - Bowery Ballroom, Battery Park, SXSW (Ga Ga Ga...)"